Guessford, Orville E. (Bud) – 1900-1941

DEVORE, DOOLEY, GUESSFORD, PONDER

Posted By: Diana Wagner
Date: 3/5/2024 at 09:22:28

Orville E. (Bud) Guessford, 41, died of a gun wound in his head shortly before 6 o'clock Tuesday evening at his farm home eight miles southeast of Newton.
County Coroner Ralph V. Toland, after investigating the death, pronounced death was caused by a self-inflicted wound and it probably was suicide. There will be no inquest, he said. Guessford was under bond on a charge of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and the charge was to have been investigated by a grand jury.
Relatives said Guessford has been target shooting with a .22 caliber revolver, the firearm which inflicted the wound, and said the position of the gun following the fatal shot led them to believe the gun was accidentally discharged.
Funeral services were conducted this afternoon at 3 o'clock at the Murdoch Funeral home with burial at Mount Zion cemetery.
Surviving relatives are his wife, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. George Guessford and a sister, Mrs. Alfred Ponder and an uncle, John E. Dooley.
Mr. Guessford was born March 5, 1900, in Palo Alto township and when he was six years old, moved to Buena Vista township where he continued to reside. He had spent all his life in Buena Vista township and the last five years had farmed in that community. He was employed at the Maytag factory a number of years.
He was wed to Cecile De Vore on June 23, 1937.
Source: Jasper County Record (Newton, IA); Thursday, April 17, 1941, page 6